I'm hoping for some constructive ideas on using the SWFA 6x on a muzzle loader for hunting. I'm out west (Utah) and can use magnified scopes on muzzle loaders for hunting. Shot can range from about 50-300 yards on most my muzzle loader deer hunts. My Encore currently has a Nikon inline scope with BDC and I like it but think I would rather dial turrets than use the BDC because the dots change point of impact with change of power and that fact nearly cost me the buck of a lifetime this year as I forgot I had turned the power down as light faded when I was in the heat of the moment of a giant deer. The story has a happy ending as I turned the buck up again 2 days latter and now have my first 200" buck. I like the idea of dialing turrets as I do have a long range rig for targets but don't love the reticles on any scope I see that is reliable with exposed turrets. I'm also trying to keep the scope in the $400 or less range as I spend most of my disposable income on a fly fishing addiction. What I really wish is that someone made a 2-7 or a 3-9 scope with exposed turrets and standard duplex reticle. Thoughts?

Use 30 mm. rings and it ought to work.

The SWFA SS HD 3-9X42 may be more to your liking. On Black Friday it will be right at $400. I think it was $429 last year. The dots won't change as you adjust power because the reticle is in the front focal plane. The turrets are a bit smaller and not as easy to be accidentally turned. The 6X will work fine though.

Fishnut, for a fixed 6X with a duplex reticle and turret, this is a pretty good deal- https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...leupold-6x42-w-m1-elevation#Post12379442

I’d absolutely use the 6X SS on a ML. My only problem with the 3-9 SS would be eye relief with heavy loads. It’s a touch short for me on 9x. No issues with the 6’s though.

I have a Leupold 3x9 CDS on my Omega and plan to swap it for a 1x4 SS, more than adequate for a ML.

I have a 6x Super Chicken on my T/C Omega smoke pole.I'm ordering a rail and a comb riser/pad. Not enough eye relief with the weaver 1 piece I have on it at the moment. Hoping the rail is longer. I received a few love taps yesterday. Wishing not to repeat them.

You won't accidentally turn those turrets. They're stiff.

eye relief is one of the reasons I went with the Nikon. It has 4" and keeps the scope out of my eyebrow. last year I had an older Leupy on it and on had a little over 3" with it and my step son got hit twice will shooting the gun and got a bit gun shy afterwards. I decided to show him how its done and got a bite myself.

I have a VX2 Leupold 3x9 CDS on my Omega... dial for yardage. I like the addition magnification, especially with the new rules here in TN. That is: any antler nubs protruding the hair line is a buck and will count against your max limit of 2 per season.

I've had the same conversation around a few ML's I have. I eventually went with a 6x38 Weaver on one that I'll shoot out to 250 or so (and just holdover) and then have a SS 3-9x42 on the other (smokeless) ML. I tried the SS 6x but found the reticle much thinner and harder to see than that of the 3-9x for low light and general hunting.

I use an IOR fixed 6 on my Knight Brush Rifle and really like it. I also use a SS 6x on my 22 mag. I can’t think of a reason the SS wouldn’t be great on a front stuffer.

With the 3-9x set on 6x, the reticle should subtend exactly the same as the fixed 6x.

If I had to hunt deer with a SS topped muzzleloader I'd climb to the top of a mountain and blow my fugking head off.





Clark

Easy Marine. No need to be so serious

The holidays get me spun up.




Travis

No worries. Post MC birthday we have a solid grace period.

By the grace of God goes the IPA toward a new Smith and Wesson.




Cupernicuss

Ha! Right on. Now quit making fun out of us ML guys trying to shoot long, we can’t help it.

You need a 100 MOA base, right?

I’m not going that far at all. But I had a VXR 3-9 Patrol that’s working okay right now to 300. I’m not talking ultra distance just 300 or so. Was going to put a MQ SS on it but it went on another. I’m hampered to the east for deer so 3-4X doesn’t suck.

Alright.

But only because you seem relatively normal.




Clark

Aren't you a breath of fresh air!

I don't have to, but I choose to. So far, I have filled my freezer with venison this year and even managed to slay this wiley creature. At first I was worried about the tight ring spacing, but that ain't bothering me no more.

TC Impact 50 cal
110 grains (volume) BH209
PR Bullets Dead Center(.357) 195gr duplex sabots

Fair enough. I’ll take it.

But will subtend more above 6X correct?

It'll subtend the same at every magnification, but should look exactly the same at 6x, barring ER/eye box/etc, differences. I have multiples of each scope, I'll try to snap some pics of the reticle in each.

That is a good rule. I'm always dumbfounded at the number of button bucks I see harvested under an "Antlerless" only tag.

Typed in a hurry. Thanks for the info/correction. If you're taking requests a comparison at 6X and 9X would be useful info for me.

The difference between these images is more a reflection on my ability to take two identical pics while free-handing it with my phone camera, than on the scopes themselves In reality, the reticles in the two scopes look identical when both are on 6x.

SS 3-9x on 9x


SS 3-9x on 6x


SS 6x

You're right, Jordan. I am not sure why I seemed to favor the picture of the 3-9x that much more or why it seemed the reticle stood out more to me... glad I stuck with it, certainly no flies on the 6x though. Used that one a few times as well.

Here is a pic of the 3-9x in action on the ML this past weekend.

Definitely nothing wrong with preferring one scope over the other, even if it's just a perceived advantage!

Thanks for the pics!